Phira

I was on Yasmin for five years before I switched to Yaz this spring. I LOVED Yasmin; I didn't switch because I hated it. I loved it very much.

I switched because I have chronic inflammatory diseases that have been driving me nuts for YEARS, and after doing some research for a class on inflammation, I found that estrogen/estradiol has been known to have pro-inflammatory effects. Since I never had any chronic inflammation until after I began taking birth control, I decided I wanted to switch to a lower dose BCP.

Yaz is the only BCP with the same progestin as Yasmin (drospirenone--the anti-androgen!), and it has about 2/3rds the estradiol. I've been on it for a few months now.

I don't like it NEARLY as much as I liked Yasmin. All those "We're not gonna take it" commercials? Well, Yasmin's more effective for that; after all, it's a higher dose pill! My PMS and period symptoms have only worsened since switching. On Yasmin, I would have 3-4 day periods, with light bleeding on the last 2-3 days and ONE cramp to signal that my period was coming. I had very little acne except a small period breakout.

On Yaz, my periods aren't as bad as they were pre-BCP, but they're worse than Yasmin. My periods are heavier, with cramps lasting until the LAST day. I'm so unused to cramps now that they're really painful, even though I know I used to have worse ones. My period breakouts are much worse than they were on Yasmin either. I also don't usually get my period until the last couple days of placebos on Yasmin, and so I'm REALLY cutting it close on Yaz. Once, I had to wait a couple days after I finished the pack because I hadn't gotten my period, and I didn't want to start a new pack until I did.

I highly recommend Yasmin over Yaz. I would switch back, but I haven't had any inflammation since I switched. So we'll have to see.

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